The afterglow of sanctity

Sunset in Newbury Park, Dec. 8, 2020

Sunset in Newbury Park, Dec. 8, 2020

With the sun setting earlier and earlier these days, I sometimes find myself squeezing in a walk at dusk, which comes with the added bonus of getting to enjoy the afternoon sky as it basks in the glow of the setting sun. Photographers call that time of day the “golden hour” for obvious reasons.

Last week, as I hurried to fit in a walk before dark, I was appreciating the fact that the sun’s ambient light lingers for a good hour after setting, illuminating everything in a warm and gently fading afterglow. While walking in that light and praying the rosary, I got to thinking about the Church’s saints (especially the Blessed Mother), whose lives of heroic virtue continue to light the way for seekers long after they’re gone.

I’ve been blessed by the positive example and Christian witness of many holy people in my life (parents, grandparents, relatives and friends). But I’m also being blessed on a daily basis by the great “cloud of witnesses” the Church recognizes as saints, whose lives of exemplary holiness continue bearing fruit, decades and even centuries, after their deaths. I enjoy reading their stories each morning on Saint of the Day and I’m comforted by the fact that they too faced many hardships and challenges in their lives, some of which seemed insurmountable at the time. I draw inspiration from how they responded to their struggles - by trusting in God’s surpassing grace and by relying on his unending strength. Their stories are all so different, but a common thread runs throughout: total gift of self to God and others out of deep love for Jesus Christ.

The fact that the saints continue bearing fruit long after they’ve died is amazing to me. Clearly goodness and love have no expiration date! When St Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, “…these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love,” he wasn’t kidding. Those truly are the gifts we leave behind for others to delight in! It’s easy to think we can never be as holy as the saints, but we must NEVER doubt what the Holy Spirit can accomplish through any of us (if we’re willing to hand over the keys and let Jesus take the wheel). Remember, every saint had a past and every sinner has a future, so there’s hope for all of us!

As we get set to kiss 2020 goodbye (good riddance!) and prepare to welcome 2021 (with fingers crossed and a hopeful spirit), it’s a good time to take stock of where we’re at on the journey, reflect on the lessons we’ve learned from this crazy year (never run out of TP!) and look to the future with total trust in God’s providential care. I’m convinced that if we live intentionally for God and others, with sincere love for his son Jesus Christ, it will not only bear fruit now, but it will continue to provide a glorious afterglow of sanctity that will bless others for many years to come.

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Blazing the trail with Bill…and Jesus